


Candle in the Wind (REWRITTEN)

by CplCrimp



Category: Underdog (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Children of Characters, Death, F/M, Fake Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Near Death Experiences, Not Really Character Death, One Night Stands, Post-Canon, References to Depression, Rewrite, Suicide, Unplanned Pregnancy, i still dont want anyone to ship Lewis & Underdog, tho not unwelcomed!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21876085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CplCrimp/pseuds/CplCrimp
Summary: Lewis N. Purebred, Sweet Polly's son, has been obsessed with Underdog for all his twelve years of life. Everyone around him insists that Underdog is dead. But Lewis doesn't believe that such heroism can die. Hearing about a lookalike in West Virginia is only fuel to the fire.
Relationships: Polly Purebred/Taptap Clark, Shoeshine Boy | Underdog & Lewis N. Purebred, Taptap Clark/Riff Raff





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> suicide + drugs tw

_“Shoeshine?”_

Sweet Polly knocked on her best friend’s door. A lump of nervousness formed in her throat. She had been knocking on Shoeshine’s door for several minutes now. The mutt was magnificent at opening doors, or at the very least, making his state known. _“Just a sec,”_ Shoeshine would say, or tape a sign on his door that read _“Out to lunch.”_

The lack of notice wasn’t what made Polly nervous, however; Shoeshine was forgetful. Perhaps he just forgot the sign. Polly knocked again, so strongly it made her knuckle tingle. She sighed as still no answer came.

Shoeshine… wasn’t doing well. He never really was. He didn’t have that much money, but Shoeshine was nice and optimistic, and had been getting on just fine. Up until a few months ago, anyway. 

He and Polly had been hanging out late one night. Polly asked if he’d been doing alright, since Shoeshine had looked so, _so_ exhausted. He sighed and let all sorts of words tumble out of his mouth.

“Not really!” he had said, “I’ve been missing my mom too much lately!”

“Well, that’s alright,” Polly replied. She knew full-well Shoeshine’s parents had both died rather brutally about ten years ago, but the lesser details Shoeshine had never let her learn. “It’s rough, it happens.”

“I know, but it’s not like that,” Shoeshine answered. “I used to think sometimes, _I’d love to visit my mom again,_ and it’d scare me, because I’m not ready to die. But I- I think it’s stopped scaring me. I was thinking about it earlier today and I didn’t feel… anything.”

Polly’s fist clenched the cold metal of Shoeshine’s doorknob as the words rolled through her mind. _I’m not ready to die. But it’s stopped scaring me._ Polly took in a deep, shaking breath. Shoeshine wouldn’t. Would he?

“Shoeshine?” Polly called, shaking the doorknob and knocking the wood, “Come on, Shoes, you’re scaring me.”

Shoeshine had started looking and acting worse recently, too. He had bags under his eyes and his ears were terribly frizzed. Polly would ask him to join her for lunch, and Shoeshine wouldn’t reply until hours later with, _“Sorry! Just woke up.”_ Polly had invited herself over to his apartment once to redecorate and help with some cleaning in an attempt to get his mood back up. The only food she had found were Cheerios and Nutella.

Polly had responded with a laugh back then. “You’re an adult, Shoeshine, not a college student!”

“Eh,” Shoeshine replied, “They’re heart-healthy.”

Polly sighed to herself now. She regretted not thinking anything of that or his response. 

“Come on, Shoeshine,” Polly whispered to herself, voice breaking. She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt as scared before. She swallowed back the need to cry and continued to call out. “Just tell me you’re alright.”

The poodle dove a hand into her purse and flipped open her phone. Shoeshine hadn’t left her any messages. She hit the _2_ button and balanced the silver phone against her shoulder. Polly continued to dig around in her purse, this time, searching for her keyring.

Ring one… ring two… ring three….. _ring four…... ring five……..._

_“This is Shoeshine Clark, I’m currently away. Please leave your name, number and message, and I will call you back as soon as possible. Thank you.”_

Polly waited for the beep. She flipped the keys over her fingers and clutched her phone tightly, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Hi, Shoes, it’s me,” she started. Then she paused, searching for the right words. “I’m worried about you. Call me back. Bye.”

Polly hung up, swallowed, and took in a deep breath. She held both keys and phone in either of her hands, and paced the hallway in front of Shoeshine’s apartment. Maybe he was asleep. But then… his ringtone was a saxophone, and it always woke him up.

Still, no response came. One minute passed. Then two. Then five.

Polly shoved her phone back into her purse and let out a deep breath. She sifted through her keys to find the one with _Apt 366_ engraved on it. Shoeshine had given her the key in case he had ever lost his own; or if he had ever locked himself in or out.

“I’m not that smart,” Shoeshine had laughed as he handed his best friend the key.

Polly stuck the key in the hole. Before turning it, she knocked one more time. After a few moments, she twisted the key and opened the door.

“C’mon, Lewis, this isn’t funny!” she called. Her voice boomed angrily, but really, she was more scared than upset.

Lewis was Shoeshine’s real name, though he hated to be called that, so Polly never did. But now was a dire matter. Shoeshine had been depressed lately. Polly was just worried he’d done something terrible. She _needed_ a response, even an angry one would do.

The poodle closed the door and set her purse on the arm of Shoeshine’s couch. She gulped.

“Oh, come on, you bastard,” she whispered to herself, but she didn’t really mean it. Shoeshine had absolutely perfect hearing. He had to. He would’ve heard Polly calling him by now.

She looked around. Shoeshine only had a two-room apartment, and she was in the first. The couch was terribly messy, but it always was when Polly came over. Shoeshine frequently dozed off there. More recently, he’d just been too tired to fall asleep in his bed and slept there instead.

On the coffee table was a box of crackers, a jar of Nutella and a few empty brown fast food bags. Polly wasn’t sure what to make of it. On one hand, she was glad that Shoeshine had eaten something aside from cereal recently. On the other, fast food wasn’t exactly healthy. The TV was off. But Shoeshine never did leave it on long, he had a tight budget.

Polly swallowed despite the lump in her throat, and turned to look at the kitchen. Beer bottles littered the counter. Shoeshine couldn’t hardly figure out how to open a pop bottle, Polly thought sadly. How did he manage _this?_

She padded over to get a closer look. Most of the medicines were still and unmoved, but Polly didn’t dare touch any as to not get her fingerprints on them. After all, perhaps it wasn’t suicide. It didn’t look like Shoeshine was taking his antidepressants, and he’d been taking that medicine since he moved to New York. Polly shook her head. It didn’t take a scientist to tell that Shoeshine wasn’t taking his prescriptions.

She did notice one thing. His benadryl was gone. Polly felt her heart skip a beat. Benadryl could kill if enough was taken. Her mom told her that. Polly had always thought it was a superstition her mother had, but currently, her worry surpassed her logic.

 _“No, no, no,”_ Polly gasped, letting a tear fall down her cheek. She rushed across the apartment to the furthest wall. Shoeshine left his bathroom door open when he wasn’t using it. As usual, it was open, and the bathroom was clean. Polly padded in and looked around to see if there was any blood.

There was none. But Shoeshine had pretty thick skin, Polly reminded herself, and he didn’t much like pain. Polly placed her elbows on the side of the sink and leaned over. She shook and let herself cry, but kept trying to keep herself composed.

She was absolutely terrified. All hope drained from her mind. There was only one room left. Polly pulled herself up and took a deep breath. Maybe Shoeshine’s phone had died, that’s why he didn’t wake up when Polly called. But no, Polly told herself, a phone didn't ring if it was dead. People didn't answer if they were, either--

Polly pulled her hair up into a ponytail and stared at her reflection angrily. Shoeshine wasn't dead until she found his body herself. She exited the bathroom, and rested her hand on the cold metal doorknob of Shoeshine’s bedroom, and paused. She knocked on the door, then sighed when there was no answer.

 _“Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone?”_ she sang softly, her voice shaking. She clenched her teeth to prevent more tears from falling. _“Oh where, oh where could he be?”_

Shoeshine would answer to that. Absolutely he would. And yet... he didn’t.

With a shaking hand, Polly pushed open her best friend’s bedroom door.

**_“SHOESHINE!!”_ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sex + alcohol tw

It had been three years since Shoeshine had killed himself. Polly was thirty now and she still couldn’t find it in herself to move on. She had loved-  _ still loved-  _ Shoeshine with everything in her. He was her best friend, and sometimes he was even more than a best friend. He had been since they were both twenty.

Polly had tried many things to get her mind off of Shoeshine. Yoga, meditation, reading, poker, pool, one-night stands… yet, she couldn’t get her mind off him. She understood what he meant about his mother now, and she understood why Shoeshine had turned to alcohol, because she had as well.

“May I buy you a drink?”

Polly turned around in her stool, gripping her glass tightly. Her eyes widened as she saw the source of the voice.

He was a kindly looking man, with dark half-lidded eyes and a sly smile. He was a dog, a mostly-beagle mutt, with tan fur and floppy black ears. Polly looked him up and down. His hands were at his sides, with one tucked into a pocket. He wore a full blue suit with a fedora and red tie. White-rimmed glasses were clipped onto his lapel.

Good God, he looked just like Shoeshine without his freckles.

_ “Uhm,”  _ Polly cleared her throat and twirled a piece of hair nervously. “I-I’m sorry, you just… you look so much like a dead friend.”

“Sorry about that, I can’t help it,” the man chuckled, taking a seat beside Polly and resting his arms on the table. They were empty save for a few dollar bills between his fingers. “I’m sure they’re in a better place now.”

Polly sighed and circled a finger around the rim of her empty glass. “I sure hope so.”

The man was silent a moment. Then he asked, “How about that drink, hm?” He observed Polly’s glass. A drop or two of amber liquid sat in the bottom, accompanied by a cherry stem. “An old-fashioned, yes?”

Polly swallowed thickly, trying to push away the blur at the edge of her vision. She didn’t take her eyes off the man’s hands as she answered, “Sure.”

The man called the bartender, passed the money, and ordered. Polly kept careful watch, trying not to blink, over his hands. His hands didn’t move from the table. The only time they shifted was to grab one of the two small glasses. Polly grabbed the other.

The man held up his drink to offer a cheers. Polly couldn’t help a smile splitting her face. They clinked together, and each took a drink. The man cleared his throat before setting it down. Polly took a bigger drink than he did.

“I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself,” the man said as Polly set down her drink. “My name is Taptap Clark. I work down at Tympani's Jewelry Store. You can call me Taps,” he added with a wink.

Polly didn’t notice. Her heartbeat quickened, and she gripped her glass tighter.

Taptap looked concerned. “Are you alright, dear?”

Polly cleared her throat and took another drink to try and loosen the knot. “I’m fine,” she lied with a click of her tongue. “My-my dead friend. His last name was Clark too.”

“Ah,” Taptap replied. “Sorry about that, love. I hear it used to be a rather popular last name.”

Polly hummed thoughtfully. “Sure,” she answered. She took another drink. “I’m Polly Purebred, I’m a reporter for TTV.”

“I thought you looked a bit familiar,” Taptap said, holding his glass to his lips. “No one can truly forget a woman as beautiful as you.”

Polly flushed and finished her glass. “Th-thanks,” she answered.

Taptap didn’t seem like much of a threat. But Polly decided she didn’t need to get any more drunk, just in case he tried something later in the night.

...ah, one more wouldn’t hurt her.

A few more drinks in and hours later, Polly found that Taptap’s soft hand was rubbing her cheek.

“Yes,” he whispered, “You’re one beautiful girl, Polly.”

Polly hummed and grabbed onto his hand with her own.

Another drink and hour later, Taptap stood up and pulled Polly up with him. She drunkenly giggled as the man pulled her closer. Their noses were touching, and Polly could smell the alcohol on his breath. Taps held her face while Polly held her hands on his shoulders.

Polly just let words fall out of her mouth without much of a thought.

“Can I kiss you?” she asked, softly.

Taps didn’t reply with words. Instead, he closed the gap between their muzzles and met Polly’s lips with his own. Polly sighed wistfully and pushed her arms forward, resting her elbows on Taptap’s shoulders.

Polly pushed back into the mutt’s chin when Taps pulled away. Taps then pulled her further from the bar, and let his hands slide down to her hips.

“Are you good?” he asked kindly. “Like, clean?”

Polly flushed. Then she nodded and replied, “Yeah.”

“Me too,” Taps answered, pulling her into another kiss.

Polly’s other one-night stands hadn’t been this passionate with her. She didn’t know quite why Taps was doing this, but, man, she adored it.

“Do you wanna come home with me?” Polly asked next time she got the chance.

Taps kissed her once more, and answered simply with a, “Yes.”

Polly did just that. She closed the door to her apartment and turned to look at Taptap once more. He loosed his tie and smiled slyly, his eyes sparkling with love and lust. Polly returned the smile.

Taps stepped forward and pushed Polly against the door. His hands gripped her hips, one trailing a bit lower. Polly wrapped her leg around him as Taps pushed his knee forward. Polly held his face.

“Is this good?” Taps asked.

_ “Perfect…”  _ Polly answered, kissing him.

Taps turned his muzzle downward and started work on Polly’s neck. “God, you’re gorgeous,” he stated, kissing harder.

Polly was panting with her arms around him in bed before she knew it.

“Stay with me tonight,” Polly begged, breathlessly.

Taps kissed her chest. “Yes, my dear, yes.”

The next morning was not nearly as fun as the previous night. When Polly opened her eyes, she felt lightheaded and couldn’t tell if Taptap was moving or not. She sat up slowly with a groan. Her hips really hurt, which was pretty fair. So did her back, which hadn’t quite happened before.

“Good  _ morn~ing,”  _ Taps chirped.

Polly groaned again and stretched, though couldn’t help smiling. “Hi,” she answered. “I feel pretty gross.”

Taps sat up and kissed her shoulder. “I thought you were great.”

Polly smiled a bit wider. “You were, too,” she answered. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Have fun,” Taps winked.

Polly chuckled. She stood up, still dizzy, and pulled a tanktop and underwear from a drawer. The bed creaked as Taps stood up as well. Polly figured he was redressing too.

Whenever Polly arrived in the bathroom, she pulled out a box of pregnancy tests just out of habit. Usually she was rather scared waking up in the morning after banging a stranger, but she quite liked Taptap. She hadn't ever asked anyone to spend the night.

She waited for the results as she got dressed. Then, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and brushed her teeth. She glanced over at the test a few moments later.

There were two lines on it.

Polly shook her head and closed her eyes a few seconds. She  _ had  _ woken up rather dizzy. It was probably just her mind playing tricks on her. She held the test closer.

Two lines.

Polly let out a nervous breath. No way-- what? They used protection. Surely,  _ surely,  _ Polly told herself, it was just her dizziness.

The poodle stumbled out of the bathroom and back to her bedroom. Taps was humming beside the bed, wearing his dress shirt and underwear.

“What's that, love?” he asked.

Polly padded closer. “It's a pregnancy test.  _ Uhm…  _ my eyes haven't really woken up yet, I don't think, how many lines does this have?”

She showed the test to Taptap. He observed it a few times, his eyes darting between the screen and the key.

“Th-there's two,” he answered.

“...ah, fuck…” Polly replied.

Polly glanced up at him, but couldn't keep his gaze. Taptap looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Oh my god,” he whispered. “Oh my god!! Polly, I'm so,  _ so  _ sorry!! I didn't notice-- I didn't--!” He spoke rapidly, his hands shaking as he reached out for Polly, yet he never actually touched her. He then took a deep breath in and out, crossing his arms. One of his hands stroked his long, velvety black ears. “Are you, um… keeping it?”

Polly didn't answer for quite some time. She rolled it over in her head. She  _ did  _ want kids. She just didn't imagine this would be the way she'd get them.

Polly had set herself a moral code when she lost her virginity. If she got pregnant, she would keep it, no question. Unless the conception was traumatic, then she could get it out.

But Polly liked Taptap. She did. But on one hand… he looked so much like Shoeshine.

Polly clenched her fist and sighed, looking up at Taps. “Yeah, I am.”

“...will I be allowed to see it?” Taps asked.

“Do you… want to?”

Taps didn't reply. Then he spoke quickly again. “I-I don't know. This is a lot, Polly. I didn't mean for this to happen.”

Polly nodded sadly. She understood the sorrowful notes in his voice.

“I'll note you down as the father on the birth certificate,” she said, looking at their feet. “And you’ll certainly pay child support.”

Taptap nodded with a sigh. “I deserve that. Polly, I'm so sorry. I didn't-- if I'd noticed I would've pulled out faster-- I didn't mean for this to happen…”

“It's alright, Taptap,” Polly replied.

Taptap stepped away and slipped into his pants. He threw his blazer over his shoulder and put his hat on lightly. “I should go,” he said quickly. Then, the man rushed out of Polly’s apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Polly named him Lewis, and made sure he knew about his namesake as soon as she could. He looked so much like his father, and thus, so much like Underdog.

Polly loved her little guy.

He was terribly reckless, and not very smart. Much like Underdog, but Polly didn't mind. Lewis was her perfect little angel, even if he did fall out of trees fairly often.

Lewis was rather proud that Polly was his mother. Not from her news show, though; Lewis was very happy that she was a character in  _ The Underdog Show. _

Lewis was twelve years old now, and he never stopped liking  _ Underdog. _ It was one of the only things he spoke about at school and with teachers. He also quite liked  _ Thomas the Tank Engine,  _ eating cheese on apples, and  _ Pokemon,  _ but he thought those interests were significantly more embarrassing, and he liked  _ Underdog  _ much, much more.

That day, at school, chromebooks covered the desks of the reading classroom. Lewis smiled as he took his seat.

“Cool Math time~!” said his best friend, Skye Highe, in a sing-song voice.

Lewis smiled a bit further and interlaced his fingers. He couldn't  _ wait  _ to challenge Skye in a game of  _ 2048. _ He soon stopped thinking that, though, as the teacher passed out sheets of notebook paper. Lewis blew a disappointed raspberry.

But then the teacher spoke. “Class,” she announced, “Today you will be drafting an essay about a person who inspires you, and why.”

Lewis perked up. He could  _ absolutely  _ do that! He pulled open his laptop, not bothering to listen to the guidelines. He was too caught up in the thought of writing about Underdog!

Quickly, Lewis opened up Wikipedia and searched for Underdog’s name. He never actually read Underdog’s article, as surprising as that was. His Mom didn't really let him use the Internet unless she was around. Lewis was alright with that, he was perfectly content watching his  _ Underdog  _ DVDs, or playing outside with Skye and his cousin Wilbur, or playing  _ Emerald. _

As soon as the page loaded, Lewis's eyes shot over to the box at the side. He perfectly copied everything it said down on his paper.

_ Born: Lewis N. Clark, Jr., September 25, 1975 _

Lewis's face started to hurt because of how much he was smiling. Underdog was named Lewis too!! And Lewis was born  _ four days  _ before Underdog was!!

_ Occupation: Superhero _

_ Years Active: 1996-2002 _

Lewis froze as he saw the next lines. His eyes went wide in pure shock and horror. He could feel his stomach twist into knots as his happiness shattered.

_ Died: February 15, 2002 _

_ Cause of death: Suicide by overdose _

“Are you good, Lewis?” asked Skye, across from him.

Lewis let out a small squeak and felt his eyes water. “N-no…” he answered.

Skye leaned over the railing of the desks as Lewis hung his head in his hands. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “What's up? You were so bright a second go.”

_ “Look…”  _ Lewis squeaked. He turned his screen in Skye’s direction and pointed at the infobox. The gray beagle scanned it for a few seconds before gasping lightly.

“Ah, Lewis! I'm sorry!” Skye exclaimed.

Lewis wiped his nose on his yellow hoodie sleeve. “It's okay,” he said hoarsely. Though, inside, Lewis wasn't sure if he could ever be okay again.

Several hours passed of Lewis wallowing in the misery of knowing his role model was dead. His essay was half incomprehensible scribbles and half facts about the show’s production, and all the bits of Underdog’s personal life that his Mom had told him. Eventually, the final bell rang and Lewis leaned against the wall of the music room. Skye stood beside him, and neither spoke. When most of the other children had shuffled out, though, Lewis tucked his tail a little further and whined.

“I feel so bad, Skye,” he whimpered, crossing his arms.

“I know,” Skye answered, “I can't imagine what I'd feel like if Stringer or Tubby died.”

Lewis flashed a glance at her. “Stringer and Tubby are your  _ uncles,”  _ he stated, “You'd be upset anyway.”

“Yeah, you're right.”

Lewis tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Wilbur. Wilbur was Lewis's cousin, and he was the one who first told Lewis about  _ Pokemon.  _ Wilbur, though, had other interests that Lewis didn’t exactly understand. He liked  _ Beowulf  _ and playing clarinet, even participating in the school band. Lewis couldn’t read real words half the time, let alone old-timey ones and nonsense lines. He didn’t have to read anything on  _ Underdog.  _ Additionally, Wilbur looked more like a poodle than Lewis did, and it made him feel a little insecure. Well, a lot insecure.

Lewis usually felt out of place around Wilbur. Wilbur looked like a poodle and had a dad. Lewis had neither. Most of the time his Mom would reassure him that she didn’t grow up with a father either, but she still looked like a poodle. Lewis was most definitely a mutt.

The Purebreds weren’t really purebred dogs, Mom and Uncle Noah were both peekapoos; but even so, Lewis certainly was the odd one out. Lewis usually liked looking so much like Underdog, it was the one thing he had that Wilbur didn’t, but now he knew Underdog was dead. Lewis wasn’t sure if he’d be able to look at himself again. He shook and clenched his eyes tightly shut.

The heavy maroon band door squealed open, and broke Lewis from his miserable thoughts. A poodle clad in a blue sweater stepped out. “Hi Lewis, Skye,” he greeted. Then his eyes widened. “Lewis, you look awful! What's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong,” Lewis lied, “I just wanna go home.”

The three of them padded through the empty white hallway and out the back door of the school, where the car riders waited. They didn't wait with the other car riders though. Instead, Wilbur lead Lewis and Skye off of the gravel-like pavement and onto the grass. Wilbur was taught to be wary of strangers, so he never let Lewis or Skye too close to the cars when heading toward the front of the school. There, under a metal green awning, stood a short, cream-furred woman. She had curly red ears and hair, along with a muzzle a bit squished in.

Pinky Knees was Lewis and Wilbur’s grandmother. Both of them referred to her as Nonna, while Skye usually called her Ms. Pinky. She liked to wear wilder colors like green and purple, and the oddness of her outfits usually made Lewis happy to see. But today, her caridagin was dark green and her shirt was black. Lewis felt nothing.

“Hey kids!” she called.

The three children greeted her affectionately, but Lewis still couldn't force a note of sorrow out of his voice. Nonna didn't comment on his appearance, though, instead she patted her thigh and insisted they  _ hurry up, already! _ in her jokey little way.

The pekingese led the little kennel back to their apartment building through bustling New York streets. She held all three close, never letting them out of her very sharp sight. All three of them lived in the same building, just on different floors, and their parents got off work at different times. Both Wilbur and Skye’s parents got off at four o’clock. Mom got off at six.

On most days, Lewis didn't really mind this. Nonna had a key to their apartment if Lewis ever wanted anything from inside there. Today, however, Lewis had  _ several  _ questions for his mother.

When Mom eventually picked Lewis up, he found himself sobbing into her arms very shortly after he was picked up. His crying only harder with every question she answered for him. 

“Underdog was my best friend,” Mom said softly, “But I think trying to make everyone else happy keeps time from making yourself happy,” she explained. Lewis looked up at her, just in time to watch her wipe her eyes. Mom pulled Lewis's head back down onto her chest. “So… Underdog got very sad, and he didn’t know what to do. So, he ended up taking lots and lots of medicine. Lots and lots of medicine though… it hurts you.”

Lewis felt a few of his mother’s own tears drip into his hair. He felt even worse, knowing that Polly was just as upset, if not more, with Underdog’s death as he was. Lewis wept until he cried himself to exhaustion. His tears ran out, and his Mom’s arms were just… so warm.

“I l-love you, Mom,” he stuttered.

Mom gulped thickly. She forced a smile and rubbed a knuckle into Lewis's hair. “I love you too, Lewis. Very, very much.”

One of Mom’s thumbs wiped away the tear streaks on Lewis's cheeks before she wiped away her own.

“...I love you  _ so, so  _ much, Lewis. Don't you ever forget that.”


	4. Chapter 4

Lewis was still not over either of his findings the next day, both the one he’d found himself, and all that Mom had told him. He was a slump through every class he went through and, despite usually finishing his work quickly, Lewis was dragging bundles of homework around that day.

As Lewis and Skye padded down the long, white hall to reading class, Skye suggested that he switch his essay to someone else. Lewis nodded, though wasn’t sure who else he could write about. He had Mom and Nonna, he supposed, but they inspired him because they were family. Underdog was amazing. Underdog was a superhero.

Lewis sighed sadly as he took his seat in the front row. He kneaded his heels into his backpack. He pulled open the laptop screen and took a deep breath. He knew he would have to get over Underdog’s death eventually.

The mutt let himself look up his hero’s name. His eyes glazed over several article names, most of which were covering Underdog’s death, or talking about the show or movie. Somewhere in the middle of the second page of the search engine, Lewis paused.

_ “Underdog Lookalike Spotted in Ravenswood, WV.” _

The touchpad made a snapping noise with the force that Lewis hit the link.

Lewis's eyes glazed over the small words in the article. There were two pictures: one was extremely blurry with only slight forms of shapes, with the main colors of cream, red, blue and brown. Lewis glanced down at the caption.

_ “Underdog Lookalike drop-kicking convicted child predator.” _

Lewis snorted and smiled. That sure seemed like an Underdog thing to do. He glanced down at the second photo.

This one was much more clear, though still had the graininess of the security camera it was taken from. There stood a cream-furred dog with ragged black ears and freckles. He wore a shirt that seemed pretty close to the color of Underdog’s tunic. The dog also stood behind a yellow car, which Lewis could recall seeing in an episode.

Lewis bit his tongue and quietly wrote down the info on his essay paper. He’d have to investigate this further.

Lewis bounced his leg nervously against the soft brown chair he sat in. The stim was half the anxiety of telling Mom about all he’d found out today, and the other half was the need to run to Ravenswood as soon as he possibly could. It was five o’clock, one hour after Skye and Wilbur had left Nonna’s apartment, and one hour before Lewis could.

“Your mom told me what you were so upset about yesterday,” said Nonna. 

Lewis winced. “Did you know Underdog, too?” were the only words the mutt could think to ask. He cringed after they tumbled out. Of course she did

Nonna chuckled and ruffled Lewis's black hair, sitting down on the cushion beside him.  _ “Uh,  _ yeah,” she answered, “I only gave birth to his best friend and dated his mentor.”

Lewis looked up curiously. “What mentor?”

“You know your Grandpa Cauli?” Nonna asked. Lewis nodded. “Ole Cauli used to be a superhero named The Champion. But he stopped being a hero when your mother was eighteen, because he fell in love with a villian. Trained Underdog once he came to town.”

Lewis pricked his ears and smiled. “Do you think we could visit Grandpa Cauli?” he asked.

Nonna chuckled and patted the young mutt’s head one more time before standing. “Maybe this weekend, Lewis, it’s getting late,” she said, starting to pad away. 

Lewis huffed and sunk deep down into the couch. Then, he pricked his ears once more and bounced back up, his tail rapidly wagging. “Will  _ you  _ tell me about Underdog, Nonna?”

Nonna glanced over her shoulder at him. “Oh, sure. I suppose you’d like to know everything?” Lewis nodded enthusiastically. Nonna smiled kindly, and returned to the cushion. She placed her arm around Lewis's shoulders and leaned in, as if she was telling him a secret. Lewis pricked his ears and listened intently. “Alright, alright, alright. Well, let’s see. Fifteen or so years ago, Underdog came driving into town. He heard a cry for help at the First Retriever National Bank, and immediately came flying over. The man robbing the bank was the infamous Boston Bully, arch nemesis of The Champion. Together, they took down the Boston Bully, and Champion took Underdog under his wing.”

The mutt looked up at his Nonna incredulously. Just like Underdog to start his career with a grand heroic act! “What happens next!” he asked, excited.

“Well,” Nonna replied, “He offered Underdog a place in his home, and the two started training until that first episode of his show happened. First thing Underdog ever did without his mentor watching. Grew into the guy who you know today. All those cartoons happened in real-life, how cool is that? Ah,” she added, leaning back, “I bet you knew  _ that  _ already.”

“Well!” Lewis chirped, a rush of excitement surging through his body now that that he could talk about the show. He flapped his hands as he spoke. “All of them had a real premise, but they were really upgraded for the sake of the show! Like, like, like!! Underdog fought Riff Raff a whole bunch more, but because his crimes weren’t cool most of the time, Simon Basinister got more screentime!”

Nonna nodded and patted his head contently. “That’s right, Lewwie.”

Lewis smiled very happily. He tried to think of something else to say as he slowly stopped flapping. Shortly after, he came up with a question, but tossed it over in his head for several seconds before finally working up the courage to ask. 

“Did Underdog have a dad?” he asked softly.

Nonna nodded. “He didn’t talk about his family very much, but he said that both his parents got killed when he was an adult.”

Lewis slunk down a little. Underdog was named Lewis, and was born in September, and had Lewis's fur and ears… but even he had something Lewis didn't. Underdog losing his parents as an adult didn't help Lewis only having one as a kid. He swallowed back this odd feeling he had and looked back up at Nonna.

“Where did Underdog come from, before he moved here?” Lewis asked next.

“Minnesota,” Nonna replied. Lewis deflated, until, a few moments later, when she went on, “But, he said he grew up in West Virginia.”

Lewis's heart  _ soared. _


	5. Chapter 5

Lewis still carried around lots of homework the next day, but this time, he didn’t mind. He was t thinking about school, all the pieces had fallen into place. His head (and his heart) were focused on one thing and one thing only: how the  _ heck  _ he could get himself to Ravenswood.

Lewis wasn’t exactly the best at planning, he much preferred to, instead, jump straight into things and see how it would go. Most of the time, he would find himself in water much too deep, and yet, never learned. This, however, was something  _ big.  _ And something  _ far away.  _ And Lewis figured that Mom probably wouldn’t come with him.

No class had laptops available that day, so Lewis could only daydream. Sometimes, when he was younger, Lewis would look at himself and pretend to have Underdog’s powers. Not only his powers, Lewis pretended to be Underdog’s successor. He daydreamed about how cool it would be if Underdog taught him how to superhero, or taught him how to be a kid. 

Sometimes Lewis would have a passing thought of Underdog being his father, but he never seriously considered it. Today, though, Lewis scratched down some nonsense numbers onto his paper and seriously considered the thought. He couldn't write another word as he realized just how much  _ sense  _ that made.

Mom and Underdog were in love in the show and movie. Mom told Lewis that she and Underdog  _ had  _ dated, once, a long time ago. Lewis looked exactly like him.

The bell rang, letting Lewis escape to his final class of the day, wonderful reading. 

He needed to get to West Virginia now more rapidly than ever.

His search history in reading class included various things, none related to Underdog, directly at least.  _ “How old do you have to be to ride the bus alone?” “Does the public bus cost money?” “Do all states have public transportation?” “How long does it take to get from New York to Ravenswood?” “Does West Virginia have subways?” “Does West Virginia have subways, no not the restaurant, the trains.” _

Even though he looked them up, none of the answers really  _ clicked  _ in Lewis's head. In his mind, he was going to Ravenswood even if he had to walk there himself.

“I’m gonna go on vacation,” Lewis lied to Skye that day at lunch. “But it’s a bit of a secret, okay?”

“I am too!” Skye chirped happily,“Well, hopefully. We might wait until summer. My grandma wants to go to Israel.”

Lewis nodded along, but he wasn’t fully listening. He was too excited. Luckily, Skye didn't ask about Lewis’s holiday in her own excitement.

Soon, the final day came. It was the last day of school before spring break, and Lewis realized he didn’t exactly know what he was going to do. After all, Nonna picked him up everyday. And he walked out with Wilbur and Skye.

Finally, just in time for reading class, Lewis had a thought.

It was the last ten minutes of class, and his reading teacher was very nice. When he raised his hand and asked to go to the restroom, she accepted. Lewis had always taken his backpack off in all his classes, but some of his classmates left them on their shoulders in the last class of the day. Least to say, it wasn’t that strange when Lewis exited with his backpack still on.

He was so nervous and so excited as he hid in the bathroom stall. He could hear every second tick by as he silently waited for the final bell to ring. Slowly, he unzipped his backpack.

Lewis was impulsive, but he wasn’t  _ completely  _ stupid. He knew that if he encountered a stranger who wouldn’t leave him alone, then a weapon might be a good thing to have. Underdog never used weapons, but Lewis didn't have powers. He could only hope that Underdog would be proud of him, and in his heart, Lewis knew he would be. 

Lewis pulled out his pencil bag and grabbed his scissors. As he shoved the scissors into his hoodie pocket, the final bell rang. Lewis bolted out of the stall and down the hallway as quick as he could. He didn’t care that he shouldn’t run in the halls. It was spring break, dang it! The crowd of people around him helped him to hide. Skye and Wilbur wouldn't spot him this way.

When Lewis busted out of the school’s backdoors, he didn’t run to the front to meet Nonna. Meeting Nonna would ruin the whole plan. He ran around to the back, following a small group of eighth graders. They were older than Lewis, and could walk home by themselves. 

Lewis held a few paces back from the small group of eighth graders, but kept his eyes on them. Lewis padded a bit more steadily through the homes and other buildings, knowing no one who was looking for him was coming this way. The mutt had to admit he felt a bit bad leaving everyone without saying where he was going, but he knew no one would like it. Lewis, though, he had to find out if the lookalike was really Underdog. And… If his theory was true.

Besides, bringing Underdog back to Manhattan would be good for everyone. It would make him happy, and mom, and Grandpa Cauli, and Nonna, and probably Wilbur too! After walking down the streets, Lewis saw a bus stop sign and the group he was following standing beside it. Lewis had finally popped out into New York’s bustling streets. He clutched his scissor handles as he walked up to the other students.

“Is- um, is this a real bus stop or a school bus stop?” he asked a bit meekly.

One teen looked down at Lewis incredulously. “A real one,” they answered, turning away and blowing a pink bubble up. Lewis nodded and smiled, clutching his fists to keep his arms from flapping. He could read a map inside, and he’d be in West Virginia before he or Mom knew it!

Pinky Knees was surprised to not see Lewis come out of the school with his friends, and both Wilbur and Skye were rather confused about where he had gone. Pinky said nothing, not even patting her thigh and calling her kennel along. The puppies were silent, too. On the walk back to Pinky’s apartment, she pulled out her phone. Polly hadn't told her anything about Lewis being sick today, but maybe she had missed the call. In any case, Lewis wasn't around, and she needed to check in.

_ “Hi, Mom,”  _ Polly answered chipperly.  _ “You pulled me off-set, you know.” _

“Yes,” Pinky replied. Very suddenly, she looped her hand around the back of Wilbur’s neck and held Skye close to her other side. “You know I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important. I’m just wondering, is Lewis there with you?”

Polly took a moment to reply. Her voice was not nearly as happy when she answered.  _ “No. Why?” _

Pinky took in a deep breath, in and out. “I have bad news.”

_ “Oh god. Oh no. What??”  _ Polly spoke quickly now. Pinky could hear her breathing hitch.

“Lewis,” Pinky answered, “He didn’t come out of school. Now, I  _ know  _ that kid and I  _ know  _ he’d call me if he had a study group or something.”

_ “Y-you checked your voicemails, didn’t you?” _

“Dear,” Pinky replied, “I am never far away from my phone. I have not received any calls.”

Polly’s breathing became quicker and heavier.  _ “Th-this isn’t good,”  _ she stated.  _ “This isn’t good! I’m coming home right away. Y-you, you call someone. You know more about this than I do.” _

Pinky nodded. She thought about saying some quip about the  _ “adventures”  _ Polly and her brother used to go on, but she figured now was really not the time. “Yes, on it. Love you, dear.”

_ “Yeah,”  _ Polly sighed, calming down only a small bit,  _ “Love you too.” _

Polly turned off her phone and immediately faced OJ Skweeze. He sat alone behind the desk, his current talking point nearly finished. He met Polly’s eyes quickly. Within a moment he exclaimed, “And now to Bruce Bumpers with the afternoon traffic!”

As the camera angle changed, Mr. Skweeze leaped up and rushed to Polly’s distressed side.

“What’s wrong?” asked the man.

“M-my son,” Polly answered, gripping her ears. She explained quickly. “He’s missing, he didn’t come out of school and no one got a call that he was staying after!”

Polly felt like both crying and dying right then and there. Her face was tight and red and her heart beat so loudly she could’ve sworn it would burst. OJ patted the poodle’s shoulder and smiled kindly at her.

“I need to--” Polly gasped.

“Yes,” her boss interrupted, “Go.”

Polly rubbed one eye with her palm before smiling back. She rushed away and started home.

Traffic was awful, though. She only arrived back at her apartment at four. Luckily, that was sort of a good thing. Pinky wasn’t baby-sitting, so she could comfort her daughter instead. Currently, the pekingese held her sobbing daughter’s shoulders on the couch.

“We’ll find him, I swear,” Polly’s mother kept whispering. “I called Cauli and Shifty. They’re going to take care of things.”

“Oh--” Polly sniffed. She removed her head from her hands and looked up at her mother. “I know they will. But still! My son is gone! Anything could’ve happened to him!” Her head fell once more. “Oh, what if he’s  _ dead?!  _ What if Cauli and Shifty can only find his  _ bodyyy?!” _

“Polly. Don’t think like that,” her mother scolded. She placed a hand under Polly’s chin and forced her to look up. “If you think like that you’ll believe it. And we don’t need beliefs like that. Okay?”

Polly nodded somberly. “Okay…” she whispered, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Pinky pulled Polly into her chest and stroked her hair gently until her tears ran out. Two hours later, Pinky gave Polly a small kiss on her head, promised Lewis would be found once more, and left telling Polly that she was there for whatever she may need.

Polly, however, was thinking of calling somebody else.

It was a longshot, and she knew it. But Polly didn’t know what else to do. She typed  _ Tympani’s Jewelry  _ into the search bar of her phone and up popped a number. She entered it into her number pad and hoped that the man she wished to speak to was on shift, and still worked there.

_ “Tympani’s Jewelry!”  _ chirped a voice happily.

“Is Taptap Clark there?”

The man on the other end paused a moment.  _ “This is he,”  _ he answered,  _ “Sweet Polly Purebred. Love, how are you?” _

“That's the thing,” Polly replied with a sigh. “I feel bad using your work phone. Please, let me tell you my number and we can talk after your shift.”

Taptap again didn't reply for a few seconds.  _ “Okay,” _ he answered, his voice more serious.

Polly recited her number and hung up. She kept her phone against her leg and bounced it nervously. 

Just a few minutes later, Taptap called.  _ “What's wrong, love? You sounded upset,”  _ he started.

“I…” Polly’s mind was such a whirlwind of emotions, she didn't know if she could find the right words. “I  _ am  _ upset:” she stated simply.

Taptap’s voice heightened as he attempted to comfort her.  _ “What's wrong?” _

“It's about our son,” Polly replied.

_ “I don't know if I can afford any more support, heh,”  _ Taptap laughed lightly. Polly didn't.

“Taptap,” she scolded, “That's not it. Lewis, he's-- he's gone.”

Taptap didn't reply right away.  _ “He's what? What do you mean,  _ **_gone?”_ **

“Exactly that,” Polly gasped. She could sob again if she let herself. “My mom picks him up from school everyday. Today, he didn't come out.”

_ “Does he have extra circulars?”  _ Taptap asked hurriedly. He sounded worried as well.  _ “Study hall?” _

Polly sighed and gritted her teeth, trying to hold her emotions back. “We didn't get any calls about that.”

Taptap remained silent in shock. Polly went on.

“I tried calling him. His phone isn't on. I didn't even know you could turn  _ off  _ a flip phone. Lewis is either very smart or in the hands of someone very bad, and I don't know which to believe!” Polly spoke quickly. The words all tumbled out of her mouth and a tear fell down her face before she could stop any of it. She didn't know if Taptap understood her.

Finally, the man on the other end replied.  _ “Lewis  _ **_is_ ** _ smart. I'm sure he is. My husband knows a few people,”  _ he suddenly informed,  _ “Do you live in the same apartment? I'd love to be over there and help you.” _

Polly sighed and slowed her thoughts. “Yes. I’d love for you to be over here, too. ...see you soon, Taps.”

_ “Yes. You too, love.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing Polly sad makes me sad


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fight + attempted abduction tw

Lewis arrived in West Virginia much quicker than he thought he would. Well, he was sure it had taken quite a long time. He had left school at three in the afternoon, and now it was very dark outside. Lewis could see the moon, and he noticed it was nearly straight up in the sky. He was also very tired, though if that was because it was past his bedtime or because of the travel, Lewis didn’t know. Lewis walked around the dark and nearly empty town, holding tight on his scissors. He held his tongue out in concentration as he looked for a bus stop sign.

Lewis didn’t notice, but a dark cadillac with tinted windows was following him. The mutt couldn’t find a sign, nor did he know the path to Ravenswood. He would have to ask a stranger. At that very moment, the cadillac pulled up and honked. Lewis jumped. Then his ears pricked and he smiled happily.  _ Just in time! _

The tinted window slowly rolled down. Barely visible in the darkness sat a mysterious and shadowy dog. Lewis couldn't make out his breed, but then again, he didn't know very many.

“Do you need a ride, kid?” The dog’s voice was smooth and oily. Lewis liked the way it sounded. He nodded furiously. The dog continued, “Where you headed?”

“Ravenswood!” Lewis chirped.

“I was just headed there to visit my niece,” the dog said. He clicked a button beneath the center armrest. “You look about the same age. Would you like to meet her?”

Lewis nodded and pulled at the back door handle. It would be fun to make a new friend, they could call eachother when Lewis got back, and he could introduce her to Skye, and--

The back door didn't budge.

Lewis tugged a couple more times, but still, it did not come undone.

“You're a big kid,” the dog said. “You can take a seat in the front.”

Lewis's eyes glittered innocently. Usually only Nonna let him ride in the front seat. Lewis happily hopped around the back of the car, where the passenger side door was ready and waiting to be opened. The lights of the car never turned on, not even as the door was opened. Lewis had never seen a car do that, and was a little weary. He buckled his seatbelt and held onto his scissors. He thought it might be rude to keep looking at this mysterious dog, so instead Lewis watched the pavement roll by under them, imagining the white lines as speedy little snakes.

The man only made pleasantries, and Lewis politely answered, careful to not say anything too revealing. The mysterious driver kept glancing at Lewis’s back. Each time he would, Lewis’s hackles would rise a bit and his skin would flush with heat, even through his backpack. Anxiety stirred in his brain that maybe this nice man wasn't so nice after all. But, he did nothing to Lewis but look at him.

Lewis wasn't the best at making sense of his thoughts. But currently, he tried to figure out his anxiety wave. He figured it was just the dark forest around him, and the fact he had never been this far away from Mom or Nonna before. That must be it.

The driver hummed along to the radio, and Lewis imagined how cool it would be to meet his hero in Ravenswood. 

Lewis didn't keep track of the time, but it didn't feel like all too long until he could see several lights ahead. Lewis straightened up in his seat and wagged his tail. The car passed several houses. Most were dark with a few porch lights on, even less rooms were illuminated. Some also had yardlights and fairy lights left over from Christmas. Lewis looked out the windshield.

Logos of red and yellow fast food restaurants and a car repair shop glowed brightly against the Starry black sky. The mysterious driver clicked on his turn signal and pulled onto a large slab of concrete in front of what looked like a grocery store, and a few smaller, novelty stores and restaurants. 

“Here you are,” the driver stated slickly while unbuckling his seatbelt. “I hope you don't mind me parking here, I need to pick up an item or two. But, you can figure your way around here… Can't you?”

Lewis looked up at the dog and opened his mouth to reply. He wanted to say yes, but lying did not come naturally to Lewis. He stuttered.

“I see,” the driver said, “Come with me, I’ll drive you  _ right  _ where you need to go after this pit stop.”

Lewis was no longer so sure about this. “U-uh, n-no thanks, I’ll figure it out.”

The driver had left. He was suddenly on Lewis’s other side, pulling open his door and leaning over him to unbuckle his seatbelt. 

“Nonsense,” he answered, tugging at Lewis’s shirt sleeve to help him from the car. His hands were warm and tight, and Lewis was scared. Lewis pulled back.

“R-really!” He stuttered, “I’ll figure everything out, I promise I can!”

“Come  _ on!” _ The driver barked. He was much stronger than Lewis was, and dragged him across the parking lot. Lewis glanced into each of the windows with lights on, though could see no people. He thought rapidly and suddenly remembered--  _ his scissors! _

Before the man could pull Lewis into a store, Lewis grabbed his scissors from his hoodie pocket and poked them into the man’s side. He froze, though let Lewis go in shock.

Lewis ran to the side of the building, screaming. Maybe an employee was on break, and they could help him! But, the man chased him.

And he was much, much faster. 

The man shoved Lewis onto the ground and kept him there with his stronger hands, sitting on Lewis’s legs. He grumbled and yelled at the back door of the building. The blood pulsing in Lewis’s ears was much too loud for him to hear anything.

He still held onto his scissors. Lewis tried to get them open, and reached up his hand. He closed the scissor handles together as hard as he could. The man screamed in pain, and blood dripped down from the cut on his arm and onto the pavement. He jolted back retracted a moment, just long enough for Lewis to turn onto his back and kick into the man’s private area with his knee. 

The man grunted and clawed into Lewis, only holding on tighter. “Why you little--!!” he snarled before barking out something else. He was answered with another bark. Lewis closed his eyes tight. He was done for!! 

Then the second bark came again, and Lewis cracked open his eyes, just a bit. It didn't sound dangerous. It sounded very warm, and protective. Perhaps the owner of the bark could save him!

Lewis didn't have to hope for long. His restraints suddenly disappeared. Their disappearance was accompanied by the clacking of blacktop pebbles and a grunt. Another, louder, gruffer and more heroic voice growled. Lewis leaned up to look and turned on his side, almost recognizing the sound.

He saw the mysterious driver on the ground, several feet away. His sunglasses were broken, and he was pinned to the ground by a round-looking dog. He had on a red shirt, black pants with holes, cream fur, long black ears--!!!

Lewis’s hero kicked the mysterious driver away. Quickly, he stood and ran away. The hero barked one last time. “And  _ STAY AWAY!!” _ Then, he faced and neared Lewis.

Lewis could see his freckles. He stared at amazement a moment, and almost hoped that the hero would speak first and recognize him. When he didn't, Lewis shifted to his knees and exclaimed loudly.

“You saved my life!”

The hero smiled and offered his hand to help Lewis to his feet. A crinkling gray shopping bag rested on his elbow. Lewis graciously accepted. “Aw, it's nothing, kid. I just can't stand children getting hurt.” His voice lowered to a point where Lewis could hardly hear it. “Felt nice to get back in the swing of things, though.”

Lewis could only stare in amazement. His eyes were more tired and sunken, his hair and ears more frayed, he lacked all his makeup, and his muzzle was gray with carelessness, but Lewis couldn't help himself.

With a surge of energy, Lewis found himself jumping up and down, flapping more intensely than he had ever flapped before.

_ “YOU’RE UNDERDOG!!” _

Underdog’s smile disappeared. Lewis squealed, unable to help himself. His tail still wagged as he stopped hopping, but Underdog was nowhere near as excited as Lewis was.

“...ah,” was all Underdog replied with.


End file.
